July 23 – August 22
Constellation
Leo spans the 120-150th degree of celestial longitude as the Constellation Leo. It takes the image of an Nemean Lion, who has played an extremely important role in ancient Greek mythology. It was said that its claws were sharper than any human’s sword and could even break through armor. Its golden fur was also impenetrable to any human weapons and impervious to the elements. The Nemean Lion is said to be the son of Orthus (a two-headed dog monster) or possibly Typhon (a giant serpent monster) and an unknown mother. She’s been thought of possibly being Chimera (a lion monster with a goat head protruding from its back and a tail of a serpent head), Echidna (a half woman/half snake monster), or Ceto (a primordial Sea Goddess). According to Roman authors Aelian and Hyginus, the Lion was born from Selene (the Moon Goddess), who then tossed him off the Moon at Hera’s demand. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod said the Lion was raised by Hera and tasked with threatening and frightening the Nemea hills. In a famous myth, Hercules was tasked by King Eurystheus to slay the Lion. After locating the Lion’s cave and learning of its impenetrable fur, Hercules found a second, back entrance to the cave. Hercules blocked the main entrance and then entered from the second. He stunned the Lion with his club and then eventually strangled the Lion to death with his bare hands. Hercules then skinned the pelt using the Lion’s own claws. For his future adventures, Hercules would wear the Lion’s coat since it provided him with ultimate armor and protection.
Element
Leos have the element of Fire. This element is special for it is the one that shines with the light it naturally creates. Fire symbolizes energy that is incomparable to the other Elements. Zodiac Signs with this Element has this fiery energy and uses it solely on themselves unless someone they care about asks for their help or advice. Fire Signs need to learn to value and nurture their emotional side. Some consider Fire Signs as difficult since they may need to be trained for deeper understanding, sympathy, and compassion for others when it comes much more naturally with the other Elemental Signs. But Fire Signs do care! In fact, they tend to give more than they should to others who didn’t ask for anything initially. However, this can cause some basic problems in relationships, so they must be careful and socially aware.
Fire is a powerful masculine element that can easily overpower the feminine energy within all of us. It’s like in real life where too much Fire can cause Earth to burn and Water to evaporate. Fire Signs must not neglect their feminine traits for as the saying goes: “A life without love is not worth living.” If Fire Signs forget to acknowledge and respect their emotional needs, they will not only be not as happy, but it can lead to negative outcomes in their relationships with feminine individuals, such as women, in their lives. To better balance these Fire Zodiac Signs, they must learn to embrace inner peace and calm, especially during the difficult times. They need to try to keep in mind that sometimes a passive approach is just as effective (or even better!) than an active one, given the circumstances. Many Fire Signs benefit from therapy since they tend to not be aware and forget to save or recycle some of their energy, especially if the Fire Sign gets excited with a new opportunity or when they get passionate over something new.
Quality
There are 3 different Qualities of Expression (also known as Modes or Modalities): Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable. Leo is the Fire Sign among the four Fixed Quality Zodiac Signs. While Cardinal Signs kick off the start of a season, the Fixed Quality Zodiac Signs are the embodiment of the season. For Leo, it represents the radiation of Summer. Like the seasons, it is fixed meaning that it is stable, resolute, purposeful, and relentless. They are trustworthy and loyal with steadfast devotion and beliefs. They are the best friends that you can rely on to help you through the hard times. They are powerhouses with the stamina and endurance to follow things through. They are by nature able to focus and take their ideas to completion. This is a blessing in that Fixed Signs are determined, don’t give up easily, and are reliable.
However, they can be so stuck in not wanting to change that they may miss out on chances or good opportunities. Fixed signs are also very stubborn, which the other Zodiac Signs notice. Fixed Signs do not like change and may have a hard time with transitions of various kinds. They like things as they know them because they know that when they put their soul and heart into something they believe in, they know that they can achieve anything. Failure isn’t considered an option and they possess the gifts of endeavor, work integrity, and patience. For a Leo, they may start some drama if they’re bored, but it’s just to see what happens in the end. They are extra: they know it and are proud of it. While it can be a bit much for some Signs, they are extremely loyal and generous. As a Fixed Sign, these fiery lions/lionesses are steadfast in their idealism and creativity.
Planet
The Sun rules the Zodiac Sign Leo. *sigh* Yes, I know. The Sun is a Star, not a Planet. If you read my previous Zodiac post on Cancer, then you’ll probably guess what I’m going to say. In Astrology, you’ll oftentimes see the Sun, the Moon, some asteroids, or other celestial bodies under the catch-all label of “Planets.” This is just to make things quicker and easier. Otherwise, whenever we talk about this category for Astrology purposes, you’d have a long title, like: “Planets (Major/Minor/Dwarf), Stars, Natural Satellites, Asteroids” … That can be a mouthful and get tiring after a while. So for the purposes of simplicity, we just label everything under the category of “Planet.” Ok! Let’s take a breath and move on. The Sun is basically what gives us life. Without the Sun, we wouldn’t exist. It’s as simple as that. The Sun is what makes everything in our birth chart possible. Its energy is immeasurable, and it reminds us throughout our lifetime how our core personality will shine and what we are capable of being and accomplishing. It also represents warmth (literally and figuratively), creativity, health, and willpower. The Sun is immensely important because it literally draws Earth in orbit around it. As such, the Sun pulls us inward and is our energetic center. If you look at various birth charts, the Sun is the center of it all. It shows our basic personality and while the other Planets are extremely important, in the end, they all orbit around the Sun, too. The Sun gives us guidance in who we were born to be through its blinding light. Of course, there are other things that the Sun can represent. For example, it can bring focus to our stomachs and metabolism and is a gentle reminder when things make us “sick to our stomach.” The Sun can also represent confidence and our ego. Lastly, it can also be symbolic of our father or a father-like figure in our life. It can also expand into a husband or masculine partner, authority figures, and superiors/bosses. At the end of it all, like the Sun is the center of our Solar System, it also the central star that creates our core personality.
House
Leo can be found in the 5th House. This governs everything from self-expression, attention, pleasure, romance, drama, fun/play, games of chance, creativity, color, and the delight we wish to spread to others. The sector also addresses fertility with discussion of children and one’s inner child. It’s to remind us of our ideal place and time when we were able to express ourselves without fear and judgement. If you look at the Planets found in your chart’s 5th House (except Saturn), it should give you guidance on creative opportunities and potential. Someone who can be used as an example is American actor, director, and producer Ben Affleck. In the past, he had made news of his alleged gambling habits and multiple extramarital affairs. An Astrologer looking into his chart may not be so surprised when they see that he has the Moon (which represents one’s inner and emotional personality) in his 5th House. It could show how his chase for pleasure is connected to his inner, emotional needs, even if it’s unhealthy or careless.
Personality
A Leo is a natural leader that is dominant, creative, a bit dramatic, and are aware and proud of their personality and desires. They hold a lot of self-confidence and are capable of achieving anything to whatever they are committed. Their image of a Lion fits their “King of the Jungle” strength, loyalty, and generosity. Leos are attractive and tend to have many friends with the ability of uniting people from all walks of life to work with their sense of humor. They are also able to collaborate with and lead their group of comrades towards a shared cause. The Lion loves life and tries to have fun and a good laugh along the way. They are warm-hearted and able to use their hearts and minds to solve even the most complicated of problems and take the lead in resolving conflicts. A Leo is fiery in that they constantly want to grow their ego through the journey of self-awareness. But this can come at a cost. Sometimes their drive for personal achievements can lead them to unconsciously neglect other people’s needs. Also, Leos can become easy targets since they can become easily attached or too devoted to their successes and other people’s view of them. A Leo is the epitome of bravery and courage. They are impossible to hurt or challenge. At the same time, the Lion needs a personal cave, or safe space, where they can find comfort and security during difficult moments. But they don’t need to stay in their cave for long. They can emerge with their heads held high with respect, dignity, and never raising a hand in violence towards others. A Leo is a Zodiac Sign that is, without a doubt, especially difficult to resist!
Compatibility
Regarding compatibility, Leos typically do well with fellow Fire Signs, Aries, and Sagittarius. They share the same fiery, passionate personality and characteristics. This would make them instinctually in sync since they feel and act so similarly. Their communication between each other could carry extraordinarily high energy levels and their emotions would be founded on pure, simple love.
Another set of Zodiac Signs that may have good luck building solid compatibility with a Leo would be Air Signs: Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra. Air Signs can help balance the Leo’s fight for independence and provide this Zodiac Sign with another perspective of how change can sometimes be necessary and there can be another potential solution to complicated situations. While it can be frustrating to the Lion at times, it can actually be a blessing in disguise because it can provide the Leo another feeling of liberation.
While Fire Signs and Air Signs tend to do well with Leos, Earth Signs tend to struggle in the realm of compatibility. Earth Signs tend to be pragmatic, practical, reserved, and a bit aloof, especially in comparison to a Leo. The Lion is intense and passionate and can provide drama in an Earth Sign’s life. Leos fall in love easily and thrive off attention and being doted on, which can be a little suffocating for an Earth Sign.
Leos also tend to have a tougher time building deep connections with Water Signs, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. It is true that Water Signs love the notion of powerful love and pleasure. However, Leos prefer to live in the spotlight or center stage. A Water Sign, like Cancer, would probably prefer to live a quieter life and a Crab would want to retreat into their “shell” if life outside was too much. Also, Water Signs are notorious for being extremely sensitive and can easily get emotionally hurt. A Leo can be a bit socially unaware and, as a result, unintentionally emotionally hurt a Water Sign.
No matter your sign, for a Leo, giving and receiving love is of the utmost importance in life. Leo Men are smart, witty, charismatic, brave, and courageous. They are fearless in not hesitating to take risks and work hard. A man in Leo can quickly come up with creative and unique ideas. He will also show gratitude towards everyone and everything in his life. Any Leo is someone you would benefit from having on your team in one way or another!
Phew! That was a lot of information on our Leo friends! It sure was fun! As typical of me, I placed the review table below for your entertainment and convenience.
So what do you think? If you’re a Leo, does this seem to be accurate or completely off base? If you know someone who is a Leo, what are your thoughts on whether or not this generalization fits? You probably know the drill by now, I give my usual mini-speech on accuracy. If you or someone you know does not completely fit the characteristics and traits of their corresponding Zodiac Sign, it’s ok. I’ve only met a small handful of people who seemed to fit their Zodiac Sun Sign perfectly. Someone’s personality is usually a wonderful recipe compiled of multiple ingredients, including their Sun Sign, Moon Sign, Rising Sun Sign, how/where they were raised, and more! It’s fun and exciting to explore all the different potentialities in this wide world of Astrology. I’ve enjoyed this journey of discovery and I hope you have been having fun, too! I look forward to corresponding with you again soon, my friends!
“Small is not just a stepping-stone. Small is a great destination itself.”
– Jason Fried
- Image Captions (in order of appearance):
- Leo. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Natalia Mikhalchuk; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
- Flame Digital Wallpaper. Image courtesy of Pexels user Little Visuals; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
- Painting of Red Planet. Image courtesy of Pexels user Pixabay; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
- Bright neon light. Red neon heart vector illustration on dark brick wall. Image courtesy of Shutterstock user Vector bucket; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc.
- References (in alphabetical order)
- Van de Car, Nikki. Practical Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to Crystals, Horoscopes, Psychics, and Spells. Running Press, 2017.
- Woolfolk, J. M. (2013). The only astrology book you’ll ever need (Twenty-First-Century Edition). Taylor Trade Publishing.